# TV Shows You Liked Before They Got Big **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 4, 2001, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-liked-before-they-got-big/79764 "2001-09-04T23:26:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-liked-before-they-got-big/79764/1 "2001-09-04T23:26:13Z")
This is inspired by the “bands” thread in IMHO. What TV shows did you watch before they became phenomenons? Mine are: \*_Rugrats_–Hell, I remember when they quit making new episodes because of low ratings. Now look! Two movies, a ton of merchandise… \*_Frasier_ \*_Seinfeld_ \*_South Park_–Watched the first episode back in August 1997. I watch it sometimes; I tapered off after it was revealed that Cartman’s mom is a hermaphrodite in April 1998, I think. \*_The Simpsons_–Always big, I suppose. I watched it before the big merchandise explosion in 1990. \*_MAD TV_–Can be debated by “big”, though. \*_Freaks and Geeks_–Never really big until NBC got stupid and canceled it. That’s all I can think of now. ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-liked-before-they-got-big/79764/2 "2001-09-04T23:27:18Z")
Shoot! The subject is wrong, I was going to start a thread about that but changed my mind! Mods, could you change it to “TV Shows You Liked Before They Got Big”? ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-liked-before-they-got-big/79764/3 "2001-09-04T23:56:16Z")
Well, I second “Rugrats”- I remember watching those old episodes they used to play over and over, way before they started making new ones. I still really truly prefer the old ones. Like the first one, Tommy’s first birthday, the booster shot one, Spike running away, and first meeting Suzy. I watched Who Wants to be a Millionaire (a little) before “Is that your final answer” became a stock phrase. I’d like to say the same for “Weakest Link” but then “You are the weakest link: goodbye!” was a catch phrase before the show took off. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-liked-before-they-got-big/79764/4 "2001-09-05T01:54:12Z")
“Hill Street Blues” – watched the first few episodes and knew this was something special (probably the most influential TV show of the 80s). NBC kept switching it around but finally settled on Thursday, where it became big. “The West Wing” – watched from the first episode. “Picket Fences” – well, a critical hit, at least. I was delighted when it won the best drama Emmy. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-liked-before-they-got-big/79764/5 "2001-09-05T02:09:20Z")
I’ve been watching West Wing since the first episode, too. I happened to be watching whatever show came on before it, and stayed on the channel to watch. I was instantly hooked, and still haven’t missed a single episode. ---
**Author:** ![Skijumper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3e96dc/32.png) [@Skijumper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skijumper)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-liked-before-they-got-big/79764/6 "2001-09-05T03:14:37Z")
The West Wing - Same here, hooked from the first episode. I kept thinking, ‘Damn this is good TV!’ Friends - Before I started seeing their faces on coffee cups, t-shirts and calendars. The X-Files - I have a tape of the first few episodes and it’s a ritual for me to watch them before every new season starts. Gillian Anderson has come a looong way in the hair and wardrobe department. Chicago Hope - A lot of my friends preferred ER but this caught my eye from the beginning. Hey, it had Mandy Patinkin from the Princess Bride! ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-liked-before-they-got-big/79764/7 "2001-09-05T03:46:12Z")
**BEAN\_SHADOW**!!! YOU STOLE THE SIMPSONS _AND_ SOUTH PARK??? Gah. And I thought we were friends. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-liked-before-they-got-big/79764/8 "2001-09-05T06:38:21Z")
_Space Ghost: Coast to Coast_ Man, what a concept! ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-liked-before-they-got-big/79764/9 "2001-09-05T13:48:39Z")
I think a lot of people were in on South Park before it hit. I remember the Spirit of Christmas video being passed around way back when I was in college. That was some funny shit. ---
**Author:** ![ChoosyChipsAndCeilingWhacks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c77e96/32.png) [@ChoosyChipsAndCeilingWhacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChoosyChipsAndCeilingWhacks)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-liked-before-they-got-big/79764/10 "2001-09-05T15:17:24Z")
I always really loved “Northern Exposure.” Not sure how it ever rated on the “well-known” or “popular” list, but it was the greatest thing on tv for a long time. ---
**Author:** ![Airblairxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Airblairxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airblairxxx)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-liked-before-they-got-big/79764/11 "2001-09-05T16:44:03Z")
“Newsradio”. I was watching it from the first episode, because I am a huge KITH and Phil Hartman fan. Oh, wait. It got canceled after four seasons and was NEVER big. I don’t care, I still love it. ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-liked-before-they-got-big/79764/12 "2001-09-05T17:11:34Z")
I can’t fathom why you included _Frasier_, **bean\_shadow** , since it was popular from the get-go and was really just a continuation of the_Cheers_ phenomenon. But speaking of _Cheers_, I watched it in its first season in 1982. It came in as a midseason replacement and was in danger of cancellation due to poor ratings for about a year before the PAL discovered it. ---
**Author:** ![MrVisible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@MrVisible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrVisible)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-liked-before-they-got-big/79764/13 "2001-09-05T17:13:35Z")
You know that feeling you got when you were watching those shows, that kind of “I can’t believe everybody doesn’t know about this!” feeling? I get that watching **The Gilmore Girls**. Thought you’d like to know. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-liked-before-they-got-big/79764/14 "2001-09-05T17:53:19Z")
The Daily Show (even if it was with Craig Kilborne), the really early ones without a studio audience. The only people you’d hear laughing were the camera crew, but if they were laughing you knew it was funny. I feel cheated out of the first four seasons of Mystery Science Theater 3000, since my stupid cable channel carried Comedy Central half days, shared with some religious channel! ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-liked-before-they-got-big/79764/15 "2001-09-05T18:00:43Z")
I loved the first batch of episodes for Northern Exposure, which they filmed on a shoestring. Once they got renewed for the fall, and got an actual budget, it went downhill rapidly. One of my favorite scenes was a dinner between Fleishman and Maggie, with them sitting in a darkened cabin having a discussion by candlelight because they couldn’t afford any fancy sets. ---
**Author:** ![Legomancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/779978/32.png) [@Legomancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legomancer)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-liked-before-they-got-big/79764/16 "2001-09-05T18:01:07Z")
I started watching The X-Files and Buffy the Vampire Slayer in their first seasons. Neither really got much attention until their third seasons. I’m not one of those “popular = bad” people, but IMO, both shows started to decline in quality after the third season, just as they were making magazine covers and getting Golden Globe awards and such. Though I don’t consider myself old-school Simpsons fan, I’m one of the few peopel I know who remembers seeing the shorts on the Tracey Ullman Show. ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-liked-before-they-got-big/79764/17 "2001-09-05T18:41:17Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Fiver \* > \*\*I can’t fathom why you included Frasier, **bean\_shadow** , since it was popular from the get-go and was really just a continuation of the_Cheers\* phenomenon.\*\* I must have been thinking in terms of ratings, but that’s not always the case. As soon as **Seinfeld** left, that’s when **Frasier** became even bigger, I think. It had a chance to be number one. As for **Newsradio** , someone mentioned…I think it went downhill as soon as Phil Hartman died. I thought Jon Lovitz was OK, but he couldn’t fill in the gap and I think the writer’s tried too hard. ---
**Author:** ![Mauvaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mauvaise/32/11084_2.png) [@Mauvaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mauvaise)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-liked-before-they-got-big/79764/18 "2001-09-05T20:01:25Z")
I’ve watched X-Files from episode one, same with Friends, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I’m fairly loyal in my tv viewing. I’ll watch a new series once or twice and if I like it, I’ll watch it until it’s off the air. So it’s very difficult to factor in new shows each season because the returning favourites get first pick. Which is too bad, because I’d really like to watch Undeclared (by the same person who did Freaks & Geeks), but it’s on opposite Buffy. I think the only new one I will be watching faithfully this year is 24. I’ll have to check out Wolf Lake and Pasadena for curiousity’s sake, but I don’t know if I’ll watch past one or two episodes. ---
**Author:** ![Iguana\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@Iguana\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iguana_Boy)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-liked-before-they-got-big/79764/19 "2001-09-05T20:46:28Z")
I watched both **Red Dwarf** and **Northern Exposure** from the start, although **Northern Exposure** had been going for a while in the States before we got it here in the UK. Oddly enough, I stopped watching **Red Dwarf** during the third series, and that’s when it really took off. I have since caught up with it though! ---
**Author:** ![Airblairxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Airblairxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airblairxxx)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-liked-before-they-got-big/79764/20 "2001-09-05T21:13:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bean\_shadow \* > > As for **Newsradio** …I think it went downhill as soon as Phil Hartman died. I thought Jon Lovitz was OK, but he couldn’t fill in the gap and I think the writer’s tried too hard. \*\* I’ll grant you that, except for the Johnny Johnson episodes. Why? Because he’s **evil**. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-you-liked-before-they-got-big/79764.md?page=2)